By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

The Bengals, relatively dormant in free agency for the first week, brought in two defensive starters late Friday and appear ready to say goodbye to linebacker Takeo Spikes.

The Bengals confirmed the signing of linebacker Kevin Hardy to a four-year contract and reached agreement on a six-year deal with defensive lineman John Thornton.

Falcons quarterback Michael Vick (7) scrambles away from Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kevin Hardy (51) in Irving, Texas, Aug. 24, 2002. Hardy signed with the Bengals Friday. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

Hardy, expected to play middle linebacker to allow the speedy Brian Simmons to shift outside to Spikes' spot, will get almost $16 million.

Thornton can play inside or outside but definitely is receiving starter's money - $5 million to sign a contract worth $22.5 million.

Bengals coach Marvin Lewis, the former Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator with the Baltimore Ravens, was the drawing card for both players.

Lewis, who did not return phone calls seeking comment, apparently could not change Spikes' mind about staying with the Bengals.

Spikes signed an offer sheet on a six-year contract worth $32 million earlier Friday with the Buffalo Bills. The Bengals, having designated Spikes their transition player in free agency, have seven days to match the Bills' offer.

They had no comment on Spikes' offer sheet. Spikes, reached late Friday night after returning Atlanta from Buffalo, declined comment because "it's too early to tell."

Hardy, Simmons and Steve Foley seem to be the Bengals' starting linebacker trio heading into training camp.

"He'll be in the middle," agent Eric Metz said of Hardy, a seven-year veteran, who also has been told by Lewis that he'll be an outside pass rusher on third down.

Hardy, who will turn 30 on July 24, has 30.5 career sacks, 10.5 coming in his All-Pro 1999 season in Jacksonville. Hardy, who is 6-feet-4, 259 pounds, had 114 tackles and two sacks in his only year in Dallas.

"Kevin was extremely impressed with Marvin Lewis, (defensive coordinator) Leslie Frazier and (linebackers coach) Ricky Hunley," Metz said. "In a short period of time, Kevin was reminded of the '92 Packers and '99 Philadelphia Eagles. They started from scratch."

Thornton, 26, is a 292-pound lineman who spent his entire four-year career with the Titans.

"The coaches were real sincere; I could see it in their eyes," Thornton said of the Bengals Friday night. "They said they were trying to turn things around, and I wanted to come in and help."

Thornton was the Titans defensive lineman who stopped the goal-line play in the Oct. 27 Titans' victory at Paul Brown Stadium. Bengals tailback Corey Dillon was stopped inches short of a winning touchdown with 1:08 remaining in the 30-24 Tennessee victory.

Thornton played in all 16 games last season and is a former college teammate of Bengals linebacker Canute Curtis at West Virginia.

Spikes' Buffalo offer calls for $9 million to sign, and his total first-year pay could be $11.5 million with a $1 million base salary and a $1.5 million roster bonus. The deal is worth $18.2 the first three years if Spikes makes one Pro Bowl.

The Falcons played a part Friday in clearing the way for the Bills to offer Spikes the deal. Atlanta tipped the first domino, trading its first-round pick, No. 23 overall, to Buffalo in exchange for wide receiver Peerless Price. He was the Bills' transition player and due a $5 million tender to stay in Buffalo.

The trade cleared that much more salary cap room for the Bills and gave them a first-round pick in April; they had traded theirs to New England to acquire quarterback Drew Bledsoe almost a year ago.

The Bengals had been preparing contingency plans all week for losing Spikes. They met with Hardy and linebacker Mike Peterson (Colts) and had initial interest in former Eagles linebacker Shawn Barber, who signed during his first visit to Kansas City.

In addition to signing Hardy and Thornton, the Bengals were believed to be working hard to sign their own fullback, Nicolas Luchey.

All three Bengals free agent signings are defensive players. Defensive lineman Carl Powell signed over the weekend after playing for Lewis in Washington last season.

Buffalo was Spikes' only visit, and Bills president and general manager Tom Donahoe talked to former Bengals coach Dick LeBeau about Spikes.

"He brings a lot to a team in terms of intensity and leadership," Donahoe said of Spikes.

Former Bengals defensive line coach Tim Krumrie is the Bills' line coach. He spoke highly of Spikes, Donahoe said, as did LeBeau.

Donahoe has offered LeBeau a position as a consultant to the team's defense, and Donahoe said Friday that he is optimistic LeBeau would accept the job as early as next week.

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com

Free agency: Day 8

A look at Bengals free agent action Friday:

SIGNED: The team signed LB Kevin Hardy to a four-year deal worth just less than $16 million and agreed to terms on a six-year contract with DL John Thornton (Titans).

BUFFALOED: Bengals linebacker Takeo Spikes signed an offer sheet with the Bills, and defensive tackle Sam Adams (Raiders), in whom the Bengals are interested, visited Buffalo and could sign there before the weekend is out.

CONFIRMED: The team confirmed visits by tight end Reggie Kelly (Falcons) and guard John Brzezinski (Eagles), the 10th and 11th players to visit here since free agency began Feb. 28.

LET'S MAKE A DEAL: The Bengals were working to complete a deal with FB Nicolas Luchey (Bengals).

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